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S964

Managing
Classroom Behavior
and Discipline
Jim Walters, M.A.
and Shelly Frei

Managing Classroom
Behavior and Discipline

Editor Cover Design
Maria Elvira Kessler, M.A. Lee Aucoin
Lesley Palmer
Project Manager
Maria Elvira Kessler, M.A. Imaging
Phil Garcia
Editor-in-Chief Don Tran
Sharon Coan, M.S.Ed.

Creative Director
Lee Aucoin

Publisher
Corinne Burton, M.A.Ed.

Shell Education
5301 Oceanus Drive
Huntington Beach, CA 92649-1030
www.shelleducation.com
ISBN 978-1-4258-0378-0
©2007 Shell Education
Made in U.S.A.

The classroom teacher may reproduce copies of materials in this book for classroom use only.
The reproduction of any part for an entire school or school system is strictly prohibited. No
part of this publication may be transmitted, stored, or recorded in any form without written
permission from the publisher.

Table of Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Chapter 1: Examine Your Classroom
Management Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Classroom Management vs. Classroom
Discipline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Examine Your Current Practices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 14
Taking the Time to Reflect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Establishing Strategies That Inspire Student
Academic Success . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Teacher Conduct . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Chapter 1 Reflection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Chapter 2: Providing a Positive Learning
Environment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 33
The Emotional and Physical Environments. . . . . . . . 34
Connecting the Constructed Environment to
Instructional Lessons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
How to Help Children Feel Good About
Themselves. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 37
Consider the Affective Filter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 41
What Are Your Expectations?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
How Do You Create a Peaceful Classroom? . . . . . . . 45

Chapter 3: Preparing Your Classroom for Success. . . . . 51
Establishing Initial Expectations in Planning
Standards of Conduct. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 52
Establishing Standards of Conduct. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Classroom Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Logical and Natural Consequences for
Student Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Getting Students’ Attention With Signals. . . . . . . . . 61
Effective Room Arrangements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Managing Classroom Behavior and Discipline

Table of Contents (cont.)

Chapter 4: Keeping All Students on Task . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Student Engagement Starts With
Well-Planned Lessons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Learning Modalities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Appropriate Use of Instructional Time
and Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Proximity and Classroom Management. . . . . . . . . . . 84
Helping Every Student Work on Task . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Working With Centers in the Classroom. . . . . . . . . . 96
Reducing Transition Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Chapter 4 Reflection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Chapter 5: Don’t Let Everyday Problems Get
in Your Way. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Student Responsibility in Resolving Conflict. . . . . 108
Five Primary Causes of Misbehavior . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Physical Needs That Get in the Way. . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Other Things That Can Get to You. . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Six Guidelines for Handling Common
Misbehaviors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130

Chapter 6: Students With Behavior Needs. . . . . . . . . . 137
General Principles of Crisis Intervention. . . . . . . . . 138
Individual Work and Behavior Contracts. . . . . . . . . 140
Challenging Scenarios. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146

Chapter 7: Students With Special Needs . . . . . . . . . .
. 159
Students With Disabilities or Special Needs. . . . . . 160
Working With Students With Special Needs. . . . . . 163
Working With Students With ADD/ADHD. . . . . . . 169

Table of Contents

Table of Contents (cont.)

Chapter 8: Communicating and Working
With Parents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 173
What Every Parent Believes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Ways of Communicating With Parents . . . . . . . . . . 176
When You Call Parents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Parent Conferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182

Chapter 9: Bringing In Help With Peer
Consultation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 193
Mentoring and Peer Coaching. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 195
What Should You Expect From Peer
Consultation?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199

Chapter 10: Creating Your Own Classroom
Discipline Plan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Different Models for Consideration. . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Creating an Effective Plan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Chapter 10 Reflection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. 214

References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
.

Introduction
The classroom has been called the experimental lab of
the child. Because children spend a major part of their
formative years in school, it becomes vital to examine
the roles of classroom management and discipline as an
important dynamic in student experience and success.
A controlled classroom environment is essential for
effective learning, good teacher-pupil relationships, and
peer collaboration. Results of several national Gallup
polls clearly document that both the general public and
teachers agree that a major problem for public schools is
lack of student discipline in classrooms (Elam, Rose,
Gallup, 1996; Rose Gallup, 2003, 2004).
Schools that typically have a difficult time establishing
and enforcing a discipline policy regularly experience
teacher burnout and turnover. Many teachers commonly
find that approximately one-half of all classroom time can
be taken up with activities other than instruction. It can
be very difficult for teachers to receive effective training
in the right strategies that will allow them more instruc-
tional time and less management of behavioral troubles.
This is a big problem when considering standards-based


educational goals and the rising accountability to meet
certain target rates of success for schools, teachers, and
students. Conversely, districts that enforce a schoolwide
discipline policy help prevent and direct behavior prob-
lems by coordinating procedures throughout the school
and informing the students extensively of appropriate
and inappropriate actions (Gushee, 1984). When teach-
ers do get the right kind of training, real changes can be
made in the strategies they use for classroom curriculum
instruction and in the organization of basic management
approaches. This means more students will be engaged
in their learning activities, which will translate to more
teaching and learning actually occurring. In fact, dis-
cipline is so important that it should be viewed as an
extension of the learning process. To facilitate learning,
there needs to be order in the classroom. “Order in a
classroom simply means that within acceptable limits
the students are following the program of action neces-
sary for a particular classroom event to be realized in
the situation” (Doyle, 1986, p. 396). To attain this order,
teachers must prepare, plan, reflect, and apply effective
management strategies, just as they would with every
other subject they teach.
The teacher should not stand alone. Key players for estab-
lishing and maintaining classroom discipline include the
administrators, support staff, parents, every adult who
works with the children, and even the students them-
selves. Effective schoolwide management of children
needs to take place on school buses, on the grounds of the
school, in the school cafeteria, in the lavatories, in the
hallways, and outside the classroom. The administration
has an important responsibility to create a positive school
climate and culture in order to maintain teacher morale,
because the principal controls so many contingencies in
the overall work environment (Lumsden, 1998). Yet, the
responsibility of classroom discipline ultimately rests
with the teacher in each particular classroom.

Introduction

A classroom with on-task students working toward
their learning goals does not happen by accident or luck.
Teachers need a deliberate plan to make sure that teach-
ing and learning occur (Allen, 1996). The plan must
include activities that engage the students in a variety of
ways and hold the students responsible and accountable.
Teachers need to plan how they will treat students fairly
and with respect. Teachers must make a plan for teach-
ing students to make wise choices and training them
that all of their decisions carry consequences. Teachers
also need to consider where they might need to make
changes to their actual instructional practices in order to
prevent behavioral issues that might occur.
Within this book, you will find strategies to help you
create order and discipline in your classroom. With this
knowledge, you will find a number of application oppor-
tunities to practice the content introduced. You will also
discover what it takes to set up effective classroom rules.
This book will present specific strategies to help you
focus energy on the important issues and overlook the
nonessential issues that can waste time. The chapters
will allow the teacher to critically review current prac-
tices and also analyze potential action for actual student
behavior issues. Whatever the school population or the
present situation, this book will be useful as a tool with
practical application questions and activities for your
personal development as a classroom teacher.

How This Book Is Organized
The chapters in this book will build on one another and
present current research findings. At the end of each
chapter there is an opportunity to review and reflect on
what you have learned and what it might mean in your
own practice. Chapter 1 asks the pertinent questions,
“What is the difference between classroom manage-
ment and classroom discipline?” and “Is there evidence
of either one in my classroom?” The teacher will read


about the importance of establishing a positive learning
environment in Chapter 2. Chapter 3 discusses practi-
cal ways to set up the classroom for success with rules,
consequences, signals, and classroom layout. In Chapter
4, the teacher will examine tips for engaging students
in their learning and keeping them working on task.
Chapter 5 investigates everyday behavior problems that
can easily get the teacher off track. Chapter 6 discusses
further strategies for students with elevated behavioral
needs. Special considerations for students with special
needs will be analyzed in Chapter 7. Chapter 8 helps
the teacher understand what parents are going through
and how to work with them. The teacher can delve into
the benefits of collaboration with colleagues in Chapter
9. Finally, Chapter 10 will help the teacher outline an
effective overall classroom management and discipline
strategy.

10

Chapter
One

Examine Your
Classroom
Management
Practices

The greatest fear of new teachers across the nation is los-
ing control of a classroom of students. Before starting a
new school year, even returning teachers have nightmares
about the principal walking into the classroom with the
students running around everywhere. These fears are
well-founded, because for the majority of educators this
is the most difficult aspect of their job. Researchers
Dollase (1992) and Gordon (1991) reached this conclu-
sion when they reported that the biggest challenge that
teachers face is maintaining discipline and order in their
classrooms. When teachers have trouble establishing

11


management and order, their morale takes a beating and
they feel that they are not up to the task, resulting in
stress and burnout. Teachers who burn out often end up
changing their profession. Research in the 1990s showed
that over 40 percent of new teachers do not teach lon-
ger than four years, and that half of those are actually
gone before teaching a full three years (Bernshausen
Cunningham, 2001). More current research from the
National Education Association (NEA) shows that this
is still true today; they report that 20 percent of all new
hires leave within three years. Close to 50 percent of new
hires that are placed in urban districts leave the profes-
sion before teaching five years (NEA, 2006). Teacher
stress commonly affects a teacher’s general health and
emotional state, as well as the other teachers and the
students around them (Wood McCarthy, 2002).
If this describes you, then take comfort in knowing that
you are not alone in respect to your own frustration with
class control. One of the primary preventions of teacher
burnout is to consult with other educators on issues that
directly impact their classrooms (Wood McCarthy,
2002). This book will explore the vital concerns sur-
rounding classroom discipline and management. Harry
and Rosemary Wong, whose book The First Days of
School (1998) is often given to new teachers, write,
“Student achievement at the end of the year is directly
related to the degree to which the teacher establishes
good control of the classroom procedures in the very first
week of the school year” (p. 4).
The correlation between management and student suc-
cess should provide teachers with the motivation to
examine their practices from the beginning of the school
year. This book contains multiple levels of application
and reflection. The goal for this reflection is to identify
the need for the most effective strategies that will result
in reaching high student achievement. The end of each
chapter, as well as application activities throughout

12

Examine Your Classroom Management Practices

the chapters, will allow you to reflect on your current
practices in the specific topical areas. The final chapter
will offer the opportunity to plan for a successful future
involving classroom discipline.

Classroom Management vs. Classroom
Discipline
Before continuing, it is important to draw attention to
the difference between the terms classroom manage-
ment and classroom discipline. Although they are often
used interchangeably, they are actually two different top-
ics. Classroom management refers to how things are gen-
erally carried out in the classroom, whereas classroom
discipline is the specific management of student behav-
ior. Dr. Marvin Marshall explains, “Classroom manage-
ment deals with how things are done; discipline deals
with how people behave. Classroom management has to
do with procedures, routines, and structure; discipline is
about impulse management and self-control. Classroom
management is the teacher’s responsibility; discipline is
the student’s responsibility” (Marshall, 2003, para. 7).
The reason these terms are often used synonymously is
that the teacher first has to set up how the classroom
functions in order to expect the students to behave.
Simply put, effective teachers manage their classrooms
with procedures and routines. This process often takes
care of many of the concerns surrounding classroom
discipline. In contrast, ineffective teachers only attempt
to discipline their students with threats and punish-
ments rather than laying a foundation with effective
procedures for the learning environment (Wong Wong,
1998). It is no wonder that the most significant issue on
the minds of most new teachers is that of controlling
their students. Inexperienced teachers often do not have
the time to develop successful strategies and thus burn
out early in their careers (Bernshausen Cunningham,
2001). Classroom management includes the organiza-

13


tion of students, space, time, and materials so that the
teacher can then allow the students to learn the intended
content (Wong Wong, 1998). It remains a challenge
for veteran teachers as well, as each year brings a fresh
group of students for whom to establish management
practices.
Of all the things teachers are expected to do during their
professional days, classroom discipline is perhaps the
most significant and is clearly of concern to many par-
ents and teachers alike (Langdon, 1996). When consider-
ing classroom discipline, it is first important to consider
that without order provided by effective classroom man-
agement, there is little hope for teachers to instruct in
any consistent and effective manner. When teachers feel
that they need to discipline students, it is often because
there was a lack of procedures and routine in place (Wong
Wong, 1998). Classroom learning requires classroom
order and, while it may be very difficult, it is central to
what educators need to do.
Additionally, classroom discipline is absolutely neces-
sary for instilling a sense of responsibility and maturity
in the students. Each time a teacher works with children
in an effort to modify their behavior, both parties should
be able to observe and better understand what is being
expected of them.

Examine Your Current Practices
With that in mind, the self-assessments on pages 16 and
17 will allow you to scrutinize your own practices in
your classroom. In order to obtain an accurate view of
your own current teaching practices, you shouldn’t try
to second guess your initial response. An accurate score
will come from what you think actually describes your
teaching practice and not what you wish your teacher
practices would be on a day-to-day basis. Only by hon-
estly reflecting on existing practices and challenges can

14


you begin to see what needs to change and how you can
embark on making valuable modifications. These reflec-
tion tools are not meant to be used in an administrative
evaluation context for any teacher. They are simply
provided for teachers to honestly reveal to themselves
where they are weakest so that they will know where
to focus their energy on strengthening their classroom
management practices. The first assessment, “Rate Your
Role in the Classroom Environment,” will allow you
to rate your overall role in facilitating a well-managed
classroom. The second assessment, “Rate Your Teaching
Responses,” will allow you to examine your general
response to students and situations.

15


Rate Your Role in the Classroom Environment

Rate yourself within your current classroom by reading the statements below and
labeling them with a Y (Yes) or an N (No).

_____ I understand the different types of students I have and I take this into consid-
eration when planning a lesson, an activity, or a field trip.
_____ I clearly communicate my classroom management expectations to my stu-
dents.
_____ I follow through with consequences when classroom rules are broken.
_____ My students know what to do when they finish an assignment.
_____ My discipline is somewhat flexible according to the student.
_____ I don’t typically lose instructional time due to discipline problems.
_____ I usually understand why a child is acting out or not doing his/her best.
_____ I always address student problems in an appropriate and timely manner.
_____ I use a variety of intervention methods.
_____ I teach my students how to solve their problems independently.
_____ My students are encouraged to work out their interpersonal problems without
teacher help.
_____ My students help other students deal with problems.
_____ My students want to be in my class.
_____ My students feel safe in my class.
_____ I follow a systematic approach to classroom management.
_____ I have a signal to get my students’ immediate attention.

How many Yes answers do you have in the survey above? ___________

Out of the total 16 responses, what is your percentage of maintaining a successful
classroom environment? ___________

# of Yes answers = Your percentage (%)
16 100%

16


Rate Your Teaching Responses
For each of the following areas, circle the number on each scale that most accurately
matches your response.
1. My requests to students are
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Ambiguous Clear
2. My requests to the students are phrased
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Negatively Positively
3. When I want student compliance, I usually use
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Questions Direct Requests
4. When I make a request, I usually use a
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Loud voice Quiet voice
5. My state of mind when I respond to student behavior is
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Emotional Calm
6. After a request I usually
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Immediately go on to something else Watch for compliance
7. I require compliance in (mark the number of seconds)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
You can add up the points for each response above:
63–70: You seem to have an exceptional ability to respond to the varying conditions
of daily classroom situations.
56–62: Your score indicates very good teacher responses as you meet the challenges
involved in each day.
49–55: You have shown a fair ability to calmly address classroom issues.
42–48: Your score highlights the areas in which you might need improvement.
1–41: Your total shows that there are various areas in which you might need guid-
ance and coaching in order to establish a positive environment of classroom manage-
ment.

17


Taking the Time to Reflect
The next step to classroom management is to examine
the information you have just gathered when rating your
management practices. Attention will be given through-
out this book to the importance of teacher reflection
toward continuous improvement. In order to become
successful, teachers need time to think about practices
and then share concerns and questions frequently with
teachers they deem successful and credible in order to
gain new insight and ideas (Bernshausen Cunningham,
2001). Certainly, there is a significant amount of thinking
about what occurs in the classroom, but most of it falls
very short of effective reflection that leads to authentic
positive transformation. If a teacher never questions the
goals and the values that guide his/her work, the context
in which he/she teaches, or his/her assumptions, then
this type of “reflection” will be shallow and fruitless.
This process, painful as it may be, is pivotal and ben-
eficial for teachers in training, as well as for new and
veteran teachers (Ferraro, 2000). Critical reflection is an
important aspect of both teaching and learning. Teachers
learn from those experiences that they contemplate,
explore, review, and question. Teachers don’t learn from
experience alone; it takes reflection. From this critical
process, teachers can begin to recognize differences from
their own practices and those of successful practitioners;
this is commonly viewed as an efficient technique for
professional development and an effective way to more
efficiently influence student academic success (Ferraro,
2000). Each teacher needs to decide what is reasonable
and helpful while planning future experiences. It’s only
through reflection that one can gauge actions in order to
further the goal of being a more professional educator.
Teachers need to develop a thoughtful problem-solving
disposition toward teaching.

18


After you have taken the self-assessments on pages 16
and 17, you may be doubting your choice of vocation.
Perhaps now you are even thinking that you do not have
the right personality for teaching. This is natural and
can actually be quite healthy, if appropriate actions are
then taken. Low assessment scores do not mean that
you are not fit for the profession; it simply means you
are probably working twice as hard but only getting half
the results.
Left unchallenged, feelings of self-doubt or excuses can
prevent you from acting on your most creative ideas.
After looking at your scores on the self-assessments,
you may feel disappointed. Again, this is normal. Keep
in mind that the process of reflection will become easier
and more meaningful the more it is practiced. Start by
reading through the chapters in this book and reflecting
on each aspect of classroom management that is dis-
cussed. Take the time to fill in the idea boxes provided
throughout the chapters and then complete the reflec-
tion questions at the end of each chapter.
Reflection helps you to learn who you are as a teacher
and to be aware of how you teach. Your work is com-
plex and requires constant and deep reflection, so do not
try to hurry through the process. Over time, this can
significantly affect and direct your professional choices
and decisions. Getting that great blend of classroom
management with a positive atmosphere should not be
a mystery.

Establishing Strategies That Inspire
Student Academic Success
All teachers, of course, have different personalities, but
they also have a lot in common, including the fact that
many of them entered the profession in order to help stu-
dents learn. They are often included in the professional
category with others in serving industries, such as those

19


who become nurses, counselors, ministers, and social
workers. Writers Harry and Rosemary Wong go further,
saying “Teachers are in the helping and caring profession,
a service profession to help people enhance the quality
of their lives” (1998, p. 21). With a responsibility as great
as this, teachers often feel an insatiable need to help
others and finish the day with positive expectations for
student behavior and achievement. Optimistic teachers
believe that they can influence student learning and pos-
itively affect their lives. It is vital that teachers demon-
strate positive expectations toward all students, because
research shows that whatever the teacher expects is gen-
erally what the learner tends to produce (Wong Wong,
1998). Teachers go into the teaching profession with the
best of intentions but will still be ineffective without
productive classroom management strategies.
In order to establish dynamic strategies in the area of
classroom management, you have to be in charge of your
students, the space around them, the time allotted for
your content area or areas and how you use it, and the
materials needed so that everyone in your class is effec-
tively learning. There definitely is a link between how
well-managed your classroom is and how much your
students achieve (Marzano, Marzano, Pickering, 2003).
Through all your efforts, you are essentially trying to do
two things: enhance student involvement and coopera-
tion and establish a positive working environment.
Every educator has a different idea of what makes a good
teacher. In all areas, including discipline, teachers glean
ideas from their own personal experiences while grow-
ing up, past teaching experiences, and the advice and
ideas from other educators. Sometimes it is difficult to
go off of personal memory or even the advice of another
teacher because it is difficult to second-guess what some
other person might do in a given situation. You might
think that a particular method, style, or point of view
is the best way to do something and then end up frus-

20


trated when it doesn’t fit your teaching style or work
for a particularly challenging group of students. Try to
be someone else and you will almost always get poor
results. There is definitely room for individualism and
flexibility in the profession of teaching. Teachers need to
reflect and then act upon strategies that will work with
their personal styles and the needs of their particular
students. It is a continuous, changing process as new
students come into your classroom and your teaching
approaches evolve.

Teacher Conduct
Before we examine the behavior of the students, it is very
important to examine the general conduct of the teacher.
The teacher’s attitude, educational pedagogy, planning,
preparation, and conduct are going to affect how students
respond in the classroom. It is essential that students
perceive teachers as confident, in charge, and fair. For
this to happen, the teacher must establish himself/her-
self as an appropriate authority figure and role model.
Often when students are challenging a teacher’s author-
ity, the teacher may unwittingly follow with a counter-
productive negative emotional response. However, there
are several key components that need to be in place in
order to avoid any such situation. By carefully planning
lessons, knowing the students, having a discipline action
plan, and learning from past mistakes, teachers can avoid
their own exaggerated emotional responses to disrespect-
ful students, as well as avoiding subsequent defiant out-
bursts from the students (Fischer, 2004). While teachers
are expected to be caring, dedicated, skillful, sensitive,
flexible, and responsive, most of all they must be the
authority figure in the classroom.
One of the top mistakes of new teachers is to try to be
too friendly with students. While a friendly rapport with
students is certainly desired and might come later in
the year, the beginning of the year is the time to estab-

21


lish rules, expectations, and order. The teacher can still
develop a friendly rapport by personally greeting each
student upon entering the classroom and then starting
the day officially with the expectation of correct behav-
ior and high standards for learning. Some teachers will
have their students show signals as they enter the room
to show how they are feeling. For example, a student
who shows the number one is having a bad morning and
the student showing a five feels great. As you go through
your own learning process about which strategies work
best for you, be patient with your own learning curve and
with your students (Starr, 2005).

Respecting Students
Fundamental to any workable program is respect for your
students. It is important to accept the students you have,
not the students you wish you had. To elevate yourself
to this level, you will first have to think of each indi-
vidual student as a person who deserves to be treated
with dignity, regardless of his/her intellectual abilities,
primary language, social training, cultural background,
or personal circumstance. Those who have been treated
unfairly may become scapegoats or targets of violence by
their peers. If teachers treat students fairly, they are more
likely to respect one another. In some cases, students
may react in aggressive ways. Some children have been
constantly disrespected even by their own family mem-
bers for years. Here, it is vital that the teacher persevere
in showing them that they not only deserve respect but
can live up to that respect.
Effective schools communicate with a deliberate and
systematic effort to students and the greater community
that all children are valued and respected; for exam-
ple, displaying children’s artwork, posting academic
work prominently throughout the classroom, respecting
students’ diversity (Dwyer, Osther, Warger, 1999).
Students respond to adults who respect them and hold

22


them to high expectations of successful learning. At the
start of each school day, teacher Jennifer Moorhouse,
who has taught in Illinois, Texas, and California, writes
the day’s objectives on the board along with the question
“What do we need to do today to be successful in today’s
lessons?” The class makes a plan and she moves into
the day’s lessons. She reinforces the plan with a message
such as “You are accountable for your learning by accom-
plishing these tasks.” Tell students again and again that
they are important and that you require them to live up
to that standard. This produces a more confident student
and proportionally reduces your discipline problems.

Dignifying Students
At first glance, dignifying students seems to be the same
thing as respecting them, but it actually takes it one step
further. You dignify others when you demonstrate inter-
est in their lives, ideas, and activities. On the schoolwide
level, schools that accomplish this are the ones where
parents feel invited to participate and to be present on
campus. These schools celebrate and validate the various
cultures and languages represented in a school. By digni-
fying students’ efforts, teachers in the classroom create
an atmosphere where students feel welcomed, valued,
and respected. Glasser (2000) even went so far as to sug-
gest that teachers adopt seven connecting habits—car-
ing, listening, supporting, contributing, encouraging,
trusting, and befriending.
The teacher’s goal should be to interface with students
as an extension of his/her own authority rather than
simply attempting to control. Students will normally
accept fair and reasonable rules and consequences when
they know that you are genuinely concerned about their
well-being. This means that they should not be singled
out or used as negative examples. When you have had to
repeatedly or strongly correct a student, it is important
that before the student leaves for the day you reconnect

23


and show that you care about, believe in, and sincerely
want what is best for him/her. Perhaps you will want
to take this child aside and explain that he/she is a role
model for some of the others. With this kind of positive
responsibility, they will generally live up to your expec-
tations. The key is to continually validate the student.
“You are important.” “I know you can be one of the
best . . . .” “Others are depending on you to . . . .” “I’m on
your side.” These types of statements not only redirect
the students from counterproductive behavior, but they
also provide them with hope.

Keeping Control of Your Emotions
It is extremely important for you to control your emo-
tions and not lose your temper. This sort of immediate
reaction usually reflects a teacher’s own lack of confi-
dence in dealing with a given situation (Fischer, 2004).
As the adult, you should model appropriate behavior
even under highly stressful situations. If you lose self-
control, it becomes more difficult for you to make the
proper decisions under the circumstances and also to
retain the respect of your students (Fischer, 2004). When
you lose your cool, behavior becomes the focus of atten-
tion rather than the students and their learning. If you
feel yourself getting too agitated, take a deep breath and
examine what is going on for five seconds. If necessary,
assign a few minutes of individual work and take some
time to sift through papers at your desk. Then, move
in to control the situation, and as you walk, place your
hands behind your back. This is less threatening to the
students and may possibly save you from inappropriately
using your hands.

Maintaining a Calm Voice
Using different vocal inflections in the classroom is
appropriate only if it has a legitimate educational pur-
pose, does not demean students, and does not result in

24


yelling, which is ineffective and abusive. Some teachers
use loud projecting voices and find that they have to
keep getting louder in order to compete with the 30 other
voices in their rooms. These teachers might find them-
selves without a voice at all, or a very hoarse one. Other
teachers resort to fear tactics, such as yelling at students.
Authors Nelson, Lott, and Glenn’s case study (2000)
showed an example of a teacher who was openly hostile
with her students. Whenever students misbehaved, she
yelled at them, criticized them, and humiliated them
in front of their classmates. Using fear tactics to gain
control does not prove conducive to learning. Students
generally shut down completely or amp up and yell back
in these situations. You will generally have much more
control, as well as credibility, with your students, their
parents, and your superiors if you never raise your voice
(Fischer, 2004).
One of the most valuable voice techniques teachers
can use is a stage whisper, because it is human nature
for children to want to know what is being whispered.
The teacher should get as close to them as possible and
whisper as loudly as possible until they are straining
to hear. Since it is impossible for every student to hear
you the first time, do not expect them to calm down the
moment you start. Give them a few seconds and watch
what happens.

Eye Contact
Direct eye contact and nonverbal communication are
effective classroom management tools, provided that
they don’t become inappropriate or intimidating to stu-
dents. When a student is misbehaving or breaking a class
rule, simply pause and look him/her in the eye. This
is not to be intended as a threatening gesture, but one
of authority. Many times, you won’t even need to say
a thing—the student will feel the power of your stare.
Eye contact is also used as a preventative measure for

25


discipline problems. Your students want some signal
from you that validates their presence in the class. Get in
the habit of scanning the room once every few minutes
to know what is going on and to let the students know
you value them being a part of the group. It is also very
important to be aware of the cultural norms represented
in your classroom. Students in some cultures are trained
that eye contact from a student to an authority figure
is rude. Thus, do not necessarily demand it of students,
“Look at me when I speak to you,” because they might
be demonstrating respect by looking down.

Praise and Correction
Teachers like to be complimented and validated, and
students aren’t any different. Students crave attention.
Sometimes, a student is so deprived of attention that
he/she will invite even negative attention through rude
behavior. Therefore, public praise in the classroom can
be a very powerful tool. This can be a quick strategy that
involves subtly recognizing a student with a positive ges-
ture. When it comes to correction, it is generally more
powerful and appropriate to correct students individu-
ally and privately. This applies to students at every grade
level. However, it might also be appropriate to direct
positive correction in the form of an affirmation, such as
“Pay attention, you are very important to us.” Students
who are corrected in front of their peers often respond
by acting out even more, because they are responding to
that unconscious or conscious need for attention. It is
ineffective to engage in disciplinary conversation from
across the room (Starr, 2005). A general guideline level is
to correct privately and to praise publicly.

One way to publicly praise students is to have an
impromptu praise time when you go around the room
and say one or two sentences about as many children as
you can. Many, but not all, students love being singled
out if there are others getting the same degree of atten-

26


tion. Compliments should always be genuine, specific,
and never contrived. It is up to the teacher to ensure
that they are evenly distributing praise, if done publicly.
Remember that your students use you as a gauge to see
how they are doing. If you like what you see, let them
know immediately.

Again, it is very important to be aware of the cultural
norms represented in the classroom. There are certain
cultural and religious groups in which being in the
spotlight is uncomfortable, no matter if the situation
is negative or positive. Furthermore, some experts have
found praise to be counterproductive in that it can cause
students to lose any confidence to give an answer with-
out the teacher’s evaluation immediately expressed.
Additionally, not all students seek to please the teacher,
especially as they grow older (Hitz Driscoll, 1989).
Teachers can evaluate their use of praise by videotaping a
typical lesson and then judging the motivation for praise
used and how it seemed to affect the various children in
the classroom. Praising should encourage self-confidence
and autonomy in the willingness to take risks in learn-
ing.

Encouragement
One step further is to give encouragement. With reassur-
ance, you may no longer need to use prizes or rewards.
Reassurance shows children unconditional love and
acceptance and separates them from their actions. With
this support, they see that mistakes can become oppor-
tunities for learning. You become inspiring and stimulat-
ing without appearing to be judgmental or manipulating.
This does not mean you have to “dummy down” your
course or give false support, but it does mean you can
build scaffolds, academically and emotionally. It also
entails providing prompt and detailed qualitative feed-
back on how well your student is doing. “The students
will catch the spirit and will probably come up with

27


other ways to practice encouragement in the classroom”
(Nelsen, Lott, Glenn, 2000, p. 164). Hitz and Driscoll
(1989) recommend that, rather than using praise, teach-
ers encourage their students. According to them, encour-
agement differs from praise, as teachers offer specific
honest and private feedback on improvement and effort,
rather than using evaluative words publicly in order to
manage and manipulate the work of all the children in
the classroom.
Teacher Jennifer Moorhouse sets up two charts for her
middle school seventh-graders at the beginning of the
year. On the inside portion of the student chart, she
writes a general goal that will be hard for them to attain,
such as an “A” grade on the upcoming quarterly math
assessments. Then, on the teacher chart, she writes a
personal goal of hers that is hard for her to attain, such
as running to stay in shape. On the inside of each graphic
organizer, she writes down what needs to occur in order
for those goals to be reached. On the outside, she writes
down what prevents both her and the students from
accomplishing the goals. Then, she connects the goals by
adding that if the students work toward their hard goals,
she will work toward her hard goal; namely, for each “A”
on the next quarterly exam, she will run a lap around
the track. Now she has students motivated to work hard
as they relate attaining their goal to their own teacher’s
motivations for working hard in life toward goals as
well. This encouraging environment can ultimately sim-
plify the job of teaching as students are motivated to be
engaged in their learning processes.

Listen Before You Discipline
It is important to listen carefully to students and to
consider their points of view before disciplinary action
is taken. Listening to students is particularly important
when there is a situation in which you may not have all

28


the pertinent or correct information. When you can take
the time to do this, you demonstrate a sincere respect
for the child’s sense of self worth. Teacher knowledge of
student thinking is critical. Gathercoal (2001) has writ-
ten that teachers need to listen and hear what students
are saying as they conjecture and build arguments. Only
then can they judge the quality of students’ justifications
and explanations.
The process of listening will not only assist you in
making proper decisions, but also will often result in a
teachable moment for everyone involved. Sometimes,
the greater issue isn’t the problem at hand. Keep an open
mind for an underlying situation or frustration that may
need to be addressed. If an incident occurs in class and
you don’t have time to get into a discussion, you can
say something like, “I’d like you to work over there by
yourself so that no one bothers you.” This way, you have
given the redirection immediately and done it in a posi-
tive manner. Some teachers keep a notebook in the back
of the classroom in which students are invited to write
issues that arise in the classroom. The teacher reads
the notebook at the end of each day and can be aware
of ongoing problems between students and address con-
cerns when necessary.

Giving Directions
Even the seemingly simple process of expressing direc-
tions can be stated in an affirming way. Examples
include, “We need you to pay attention so that you
don’t miss vital information,” or “You are important to
this discussion.” Other times, you need to give specific
expectations in your directions. When you are confront-
ed with a student who needs constant redirection, you
might need to take these further steps: look the student
in the eye, call him/her by name, use close proximity,
and use appropriate verbal and non-verbal cues. The use
of a student’s name pronounced correctly automatically

29


conveys to that student that he/she is important to you
(Wong Wong, 1998). Consider specific goal-directed
messages such as: “Mary, sit down in your chair now;
work quietly, finish these ten problems, and do not get
up until the bell rings.” “John, stop hitting Sue now, and
do not hit anyone else ever again in this class.” Give the
student sufficient time to process the direction, decide
to comply, and then actually obey after giving a request.
During this waiting interval, do not converse or argue;
rather, look the student in the eye, restate the request
if required, and wait for compliance. All of this is to be
done in a calm and even tone of voice.

Avoiding Confrontations With Students
Arguments are merely power struggles. As the teacher,
you already are the authority, so you have no need to
argue. Never get into an argument with students regard-
less of what they may say. These confrontations are
pointless, they are futile, and they make you appear
unprofessional. Students who disagree with what the
teacher requires should be encouraged to discuss those
concerns privately. They should not be allowed to argue
with the teacher in front of other students or to publicly
challenge the teacher’s authority. If a student continues
to press the point after you have told him/her what to do,
simply say, “Nevertheless . . . .” and restate your point.

Eliminate the Use of Threats
One of the reasons that children can behave perfectly
without any problems for some teachers, but are uncon-
trollable with others, is the issue of conducting oneself
in a respectful manner. Teachers must use their supe-
rior positions and confidence to gain compliance. You
should never threaten students. While threatening might
cause temporary compliance, the strategy will not help
children make ethical, wise decisions about behavior in
the future (Kohn, 1994). Allowing yourself to get carried

30


away with such strong emotional reactions will always
be counterproductive, and you will probably regret it
later (Fischer, 2004). Rather, be consistent and do not
forewarn consequences that you are unable or unwilling
to deliver.

Clearly spell out the cost of students’ choices and then be
prepared to back up your words by consistently enforcing
the rules. It is much better to say nothing than risk say-
ing something that cannot be followed through. This is a
great example of the necessity of clear expectations from
the onset of the school year. If there is a readily seen and
accepted list of rules and consequences, then the teacher
does not constantly have to come up with consequences
to enforce. The students will not be surprised when con-
sequences are enforced. Even if they choose to make the
same choice every day with a negative behavior, there
will be consistency in the consequence that they are
then choosing.

31


Chapter 1 Reflection
1. What do you consider to be your underlying philosophy or values for
creating and maintaining a controlled classroom environment?

_ _________________________________________________________________
_

_ _________________________________________________________________
_

_ _________________________________________________________________
_

_ _________________________________________________________________
_

2. How does this chapter discussion change your view of your own
teaching practices as they pertain to classroom management and
discipline?

_ _________________________________________________________________
_

_ _________________________________________________________________
_

_ _________________________________________________________________
_

_ _________________________________________________________________
_

3. Now that you have explored the difference between classroom
management and classroom discipline, write down two strengths and
two weaknesses that you have in the area of established classroom
management as it pertains to student behavior that is exhibited in your
classroom.
_ _________________________________________________________________
_

_ _________________________________________________________________
_

_ _________________________________________________________________
_

_ _________________________________________________________________
_

_ _________________________________________________________________
_

32

Chapter
Two

Providing a
Positive Learning
Environment

Classroom environments have climates as do regions
and locations. You instinctively know there are places in
which you would not like to live. Your impression can
extend beyond just the physical aspects of the common
weather patterns and how a place looks—although those
things are certainly important. Additionally, a place can
affect your ability to feel relaxed or comfortable. You
often sense whether you will like a place as you observe
the way people interact with one another, how they lis-
ten, and what they say. This variation of physical and
emotional ambience is found in classrooms as well. The
classroom is often a direct reflection of the teacher who
has physically set it up and expressively established the
ambience of it. The teacher’s attitudes, emotions, and

33


educational pedagogy affect the way he/she physically
arranges the room, and these things also affect how the
teacher establishes the classroom procedures and rou-
tines. This in turn affects how students, parents, and
others feel as they walk into a classroom.

The Emotional and Physical
Environments
One of the most important aspects a teacher can foster
for a positive classroom environment is the overall atti-
tude. Remember that even an unmovable bureaucracy,
an unsupportive parent, or a belligerent student does not
have to affect your feelings or make you angry unless you
allow them to. You owe it to your students and yourself
to remain calm and in charge of your emotions. It is
possible and very important for you to maintain a col-
legial, enthusiastic, and positive learning environment.
Marzano recommends that you honestly reflect on your
own bias toward difficult students by mentally reviewing
each student, anticipating problems, and visualizing suc-
cessful outcomes with each student (Marzano, Marzano,
Pickering, 2003). Your effort will have great benefits; if
you give your students a more positive attitude and high-
er expectations, they will be able to give you back more
than you expected from them (Wong Wong, 1998).
This produces a much lower level of personal stress and,
at the end of the day, you are happier and more produc-
tive. It makes sense to learn how to meet the common
frustrations and disappointments that can be commonly
met in a classroom in a constructive way.
Everyone likes to end the day feeling good about them-
selves and their work environments, but few jobs allow
you to create a physical atmosphere to fit your person-
ality. Teaching definitely qualifies as one of those posi-
tions. Teachers can usually choose the colors displayed,
the words posted, the amount of clutter that might con-
tribute to student distractions, the visuals, the type of

34

Providing a Positive Learning Environment

student work shown, and the amount of used wall space.
Teachers can choose to post motivational phrases, inspi-
rational photographs, and encouraging displays of stu-
dent academic progress. Teachers choose the formation
of the desks, which directly affects the types of activities
allowed in the classroom.

Connecting the Constructed
Environment to Instructional Lessons
In both the physical and emotional realms, the most
important goal is to direct and inspire student learning.
Any teacher desiring a positive learning environment
should begin with the suggestions on pages 36 and 37.
These suggestions will take the teacher through the
process of considering physical setup of a classroom
(which will be discussed further in Chapter 3), emotional
responses to students in the classroom and, most impor-
tantly, well-planned instructional lessons that move
students through the learning process.
Through adjustments in teaching practices, effective
teachers can literally invite students to join the learn-
ing process involved in everyday lessons (Wong Wong,
1998). Such adjustments include consideration of the
affective environment when students enter and spend
the day or period in the classroom; the physical setup
that determines how students move through the room
with materials and during activities; the overall manage-
ment system that facilitates student knowledge of rules,
expectations, and consequences; and, most importantly,
well-planned instructional time that allows students to
learn the necessary curriculum topics.

35


• Think about how your individual students best
learn. Remember past lessons that have worked
well and why they did. Set up your classroom in a
way that will facilitate the types of activities that
are most motivating for student progress.
• Use more than one strategy when teaching each
lesson. Ideally, you will be giving your class a
lesson in which they hear, see, and manipulate
to better understand what you want them to
learn. Create physical space for the movement,
from direct classroom lecturing, to group-oriented
cooperative or centers activities, to room for quiet
independent work.
• Remember to address the particular needs of
students who have special needs or IEPs. (This
will be addressed specifically in Chapter 7.)
• Prepare your students to make smooth transitions
and rehearse transitions so they are all under
30 seconds. At the beginning of the year and
after a big break, the students will need ample
opportunities to practice.
• Establish and practice your signals. Students
need practice responding to your signals during
independent work, group work, and whole-class
activities.
• Conduct lessons at a brisk pace and provide
continuous tasks on which students can focus.
Reflect on unnecessary time, such as preparation
for the end of a class period or recess time. Often,
students are given too much time and then
problems can occur.
• Check constantly for student understanding. Plan
for the ways in which the lesson can be adjusted
as the needs of the students change.

36


• Vary the types and levels of questions you use. It’s
a great idea to plan various questions at different
levels of thinking. Consider skill ability and, if
necessary, levels of language acquisition if you
have English language learners in your class. Have
a plan, such as color-coded popsicle sticks that
help you quickly direct the right kind of question
toward the proper level of student.
• Keep your students actively involved. There
should be plenty of time for students to participate
in all four domains—reading activities, writing
activities, speaking activities, and listening
activities—throughout your planned lessons.
Next, anticipate that things will not always go the way
you want. How will you handle the student who is argu-
mentative, inattentive, or manipulative? If you raise your
voice regularly, stoop to negativity, or lose control, you
will no longer be in charge. Play a game with yourself in
which you try to put a positive spin on everything that
happens around you. If one of your students isn’t paying
attention, you should make motivating statements, such
as, “You are important to this class, and when you don’t
pay attention, the class loses out.” If he/she wants to
argue, you should plan to refute the attempt by saying, “I
don’t argue with students, sorry.” When you meet with
someone else who wants to be in charge you can say,
“No thank you. I’ll handle that.” The key is to stay firm,
yet positive. You want to maintain an authoritative tone
without being condemning.

How to Help Children Feel Good About
Themselves
A classroom with a positive learning environment will
hopefully include children who feel confident about
their abilities and efforts in their learning journeys. In
order for people to perceive themselves as able to cope

37


with life’s changing demands and to achieve what they
need and want to in life, they need to develop the sense
that they can reach their personal goals (Walz, 1991).
This process strongly relates to the development of a
child’s self-esteem. Children often judge themselves by
the way they think the important people in their lives
feel about them. Many times, these “important people”
are the peers around them. This becomes increasingly
true as students grow older. These peers are also caught
up in their own processes of identifying themselves,
making them less willing to build up the self-esteem
of others around them. Therefore, parents and teachers
must do all they can to help children feel that they are
unique and special. Teachers spend a very large portion
of the day with students, making them significant people
in their lives. When important people intentionally use
kind words and actions, they increase the probability of
receiving positive behaviors in return (Wong Wong,
1998).
It is imperative that teachers start the school year by
treating everyone inside and outside of the classroom
with equal respect. Self-esteem will be most evident in
classrooms where students receive the right kind of posi-
tive meaningful feedback in the form of appreciation,
not empty praise (Katz, 1993). The teacher gives clear
expectations that the same behavior is expected from all
the students. This quickly becomes a two-way street. If
you are negative and belittle your students, then they
will learn to act the same way toward other students and
you. If, on the other hand, you constantly tell students
that they are important, they will eventually believe this
and behave accordingly. Some students have a hard time
showing respect to others because it has not been mod-
eled appropriately or unconditionally to them.
One of the best ways to help a child develop healthy self-
esteem is to find and emphasize his/her strengths. This
process requires moving beyond activities that merely

38


encourage narcissism, e.g., students simply listing posi-
tive things about themselves, into activities that provide
curiosity to genuinely explore themselves and others
around them (Katz, 1993). Students generally don’t need
to hear about their weaknesses, as they are normally
already aware of them, but teachers can encourage explo-
ration into how they can further effectively strengthen
weak areas. Students should have the chance to utilize
and apply criteria for evaluating their own work, thus
strengthening their own self-esteem (Katz, 1993).
The issue of self-esteem can be even more complicated
for students in the classroom who are English language
learners. These students are struggling with learning
English, learning the academic content, and sometimes
dealing with a large mismatch of the culture they are
learning and the culture they return home to each night.
Because of the cultural mismatch, their parents may not
understand the procedures and activities at school either.
These are added pressures on these students. The school
and the teacher can considerably help these students.
The extent to which each language and culture is vali-
dated, encouraged, and celebrated is significantly related
to how well students achieve academic success, as well
as self-esteem and pride in their linguistic and other tal-
ents (Cummins, 1991). The teacher can encourage the
students to share their language usage, provide opportu-
nities for their languages to be an asset in the classroom,
and incorporate multilingual and multicultural displays
and resource materials while content is being taught.
By translating any letters or handouts sent home, the
teacher also validates the students’ need for parental
involvement in students’ academic journeys.
Teachers should encourage children in areas of both
strengths and weaknesses and find ways to recognize
each child as special. They should avoid the natural
tendency to compare one child with another. In order to
encourage the students, teachers often have to stop and

39


listen. As a teacher, practice active listening, in which
you repeat what students have said to you and then
speculate and recap how certain situations might make
them feel. This will help you to better understand their
points of view. When you have the time, invite students
to express all their feelings appropriately.
There will be many times when you have to redirect
your students. It is important to separate the incorrect
behaviors that lead to mistakes from a student’s actual
identity of being a good or bad person. Use words that
redirect the student's behavior, not words that evaluate
his/her actual identity. A child’s natural tendency will
be to internalize any criticism. It is very important to
give children tools that they can use to avoid making
the same mistakes in the future. Teach them to discover
acceptable ways to behave in areas where they are hav-
ing difficulty. In these ways, educators can emphasize to
students the expectation that they are people who can
manage life’s realities and demands and that they are
worthy of happiness (Walz, 1991).
During the first week of school, have everyone write one
unique thing about themselves on a piece of paper. It can
be an exciting place they have visited, a special accom-
plishment, an activity they enjoy doing, or anything
that is unique about themselves. When each student has
one thing written, have the class stand in a circle. The
teacher introduces the activity by announcing that the
class will celebrate uniqueness and find commonalities
all at the same time. Each student gets to read his/her
statement. Then, anyone who has any connection at all
to that statement can step into the circle and share their
commonality. While this takes some time, there is great
value in allowing students to honor their individuality
and even greater value in allowing the class to recognize
the many ways in which they are similar to one another.
An activity such as this allows children to collect infor-
mation about the whole class. The process validates

40


what is unique about them and, more importantly, how
their uniqueness actually connects them to fit in with a
group of peers.

Consider the Affective Filter
As every teacher knows, students often enter a classroom
with a multitude of problems that can get in the way of
learning. Sometimes, they have already been criticized
that day by parents, other teachers, friends, or other
students. They may also be experiencing anxiety about
something going on at home, a situation with the peer
group, a future test in another class, or other concerns.
English language learners or students with special needs
enter your classroom with even more concerns as they
prepare to try to understand the day’s lessons and the fear
of being misunderstood, becoming frustrated, or keeping
up with the pace and materials of the class. All of these
issues can cause the student’s affective filter, which is
best envisioned as an invisible screen that rises when
stressful or emotional situations occur, to come up so
that all learning will be blocked for that time period.
Some teachers continue using more aggressive teaching
practices, such as calling on a student and then asking a
question. The reason this can raise an affective filter is
that the student gets nervous about being able to answer
a question before he/she even hears what it is. Lack of
sufficient wait time or lack of time to process and prac-
tice rehearsing learned information with peers can also
cause the affective filter to rise. The term is often applied
to English language learners, and it was made famous by
Stephen Krashen (1982). He links it to anxiety, motiva-
tion, and self-confidence. In actuality, the concept can be
useful for all teachers to consider for all students. Every
successful teacher should consider nonthreatening and
encouraging ways to lower a student’s affective filter in
order to promote learning. This can be done in a multi-
tude of ways.

41


The teacher should plan strategies that do not result
in anxiety. Rather than the typical practice of calling
a name, asking a question, and expecting the answer, a
few more successful strategies when asking questions
are: allow sufficient think time; allocate time for sorting
notes or cards related to the questions beforehand; or per-
mit partners to think of the answer together before call-
ing on students to answer the questions. Teachers lower
the affective filter when they plan various activities to
help the students dissect difficult material in the text-
book. Teachers should offer procedures for students to
seek help during activities. When the learning environ-
ment is structured, instruction is scaffolded, and there
are opportunities for students to experience success,
then student frustration can be alleviated (Echevarria,
Vogt, Short, 2004). These are all ways that teachers
can lower the affective filter and increase a student’s
ability to learn the planned content for that day.

What Are Your Expectations?
Before you can create a positive experience in your class-
room, you must plan how you will provide clear expec-
tations for your students. It is important to continually
restate expectations in an ongoing basis. When telling
students what is desired, positive statements have a
more powerful influence than negative ones. Many stu-
dents respond more readily to “Please walk” instead of
“Don’t run.” This concept extends to the overall mes-
sages that teachers send about the learning process. For
example, tell students “You can successfully study for
this upcoming exam” instead of “Don’t waste your study
time” or “You’ll never pass this test if you don’t study!”
Also, allowing students to share in the decision-making
process behind classroom processes can allow them to
feel positive about expressing their voices as they help
in the direction of their learning processes (Kordalewski,
1999). Expectations should be expressed clearly to stu-
dents about the classroom procedures, the day’s lesson’s

42


task activities, the lesson-learning objectives and goals,
and the expected outcomes from each day’s lessons.

Role play is a powerful way to demonstrate expected
behaviors for lesson activities and learning goals. Once
you have had some fun acting out a skill, practice it
repeatedly. Rather than being wasted time, consider it an
investment for the rest of the school year. You will get
student buy-in if they think of it as a game rather than
a chore. When planning for a lesson activity, sometimes
a “fish bowl” process can be effective, wherein a small
group of students volunteer to practice in front of the
whole group, and then the class discusses which actions
were appropriate and which actions could have been
improved. As the teacher strives for a positive learn-
ing environment and teaches the rules and procedures
that will facilitate that in daily instructional activities,
he/she also needs to decide beforehand which behav-
ioral issues will be dealt with immediately and which
are minor and can be ignored, or at least delayed during
instructional time.
Establishing a positive learning environment includes
an entire spectrum of teacher actions and expectations.
A teacher’s smile and the way the teacher greets stu-
dents entering the classroom can guide students toward
the academic means desired, just as the actual setup of
the classroom and a well-planned lesson can facilitate
a student’s ability to learn the day’s lesson objectives.
Table 2.1 demonstrates some alternative actions for
creating a positive learning environment. They are posi-
tive approaches for encouraging and motivating students
toward success in their content learning. Teachers can
look at each tip and reflect on how their classrooms
rate.

43


Table 2.1: Alternative Ways to Help Provide a Positive Learning Environment

Instead of . . . Try . . .
marking –4 to indicate four marking +6 to indicate the number of
mistakes on a test correct answers.

praising an individual student out praising the pupil privately and praising
loud the class publicly.

putting names of misbehaving putting names of achievers, good
students on the board citizens, etc., on the board or special
chart.

repeatedly explaining the modeling the response desired with a
directions few practice examples.

nagging the child who is not saying “I am so happy with those of you
working who are working well.”

criticizing the class for poor test praising the class for what they did
performance correctly. After reinstruction, ask them
to see if they can improve their scores
the second time around.

talking at length with a child after simply telling him/her you were
his/her misbehavior disappointed in his/her behavior. Or
recall a time when he/she behaved well
and remind him/her how good it felt to
be praised for positive behavior.
constantly attending to the same giving him/her lots of attention when
child who misbehaves all day he/she is doing the right thing.

calling a student’s name and then asking the question, allowing the
asking a question, giving no time student to think and even share answers
for processing with another student, and then calling
on a student ready to answer.

44


How Do You Create a Peaceful
Classroom?
The concept of a peaceful classroom should be desired by
every teacher. The connotation of the word peace brings
up images of happiness and an absence of strife and prob-
lems. “A peaceable classroom or school results when the
values and skills of cooperation, communication, toler-
ance, positive emotional expression, and conflict resolu-
tion are taught and supported throughout the culture of
the school” (Girard, 1995, p. 1). This section will explore
some of the practical strategies a teacher can employ in
order to reach these goals.

Show Interest in Your Students
First of all, consider how you greet your students when
they enter your class. Students look to the teacher’s
facial expressions and first words to let them know if
they should feel invited into the classroom or whether
they should feel that they are not welcome (Wong
Wong, 1998). Furthermore, if you are truly interested in
having a peaceful classroom, you have to involve your
students so that they feel like the peaceful outcome is
something that they had a part in creating themselves.
Start by showing interest in them. Spend about one
minute listening to them before you begin the class
proceedings. Set aside a few minutes at the end of the
day or class period for them to talk to you and share
what’s happening in their lives. Ask questions about
their different cultures and allow for student expression
as they contribute to individual and group assignments
and projects. Students don’t generally mind sharing their
differences if you have created a climate of fairness and
respect. Teachers need to ask sensitive questions, listen
carefully to the responses, and be intentionally thought-
ful as they evaluate student work, especially when this
work is directly related to students’ writing and talking

45


about their own interests and experiences (Darling-
Hammond, 1998). Be sure to think of the class as a group
of individuals, not just a group.

Clearly Communicate What You Want and
Expect
Research repeatedly points to student success when
teachers clearly communicate what is expected of stu-
dents. To maximize understanding, start by treating all
of your students as fairly and consistently as possible.
Remember that sometimes the planned rules won’t
work. Teachers need to excel in the areas of adaptability
and flexibility. They need to be constantly analyzing,
reflecting on their practices, assessing the effects of
their teaching, and finally refining and improving their
instructional strategies in order to continuously evalu-
ate how students are thinking and understanding in their
classes (Darling-Hammond, 1998). There may be circum-
stances beyond the teacher’s (or the student’s) control
that make it very difficult to follow the everyday rules.
Working with students of all ages means the teacher will
have to be flexible much of the time.

Be Objective, Not Judgmental
Teachers will have more success with achieving peaceful
management outcomes when they learn to be objective
rather than judgmental. Whenever possible, look at a
situation from the student’s perspective. Sometimes, you
may miss the most obvious cause of student behaviors,
frustrations, or reactions if you jump to a fast conclu-
sion. Teachers should take the time to understand before
enforcing heavy consequences. If the time cannot be
taken right away to do so, it may be appropriate to tell
the student you want to revisit the situation later pri-
vately before discussing the consequence.

46


Let Them See That You Are Human
One of the most important life skills students can learn
is how to make mistakes, identify them as mistakes,
and learn from them. The teacher can be a powerful ally
in learning this life skill. The teacher can model how to
reflect on work and identify a mistake made. Sometimes
the mistake is obvious, but other times it is a matter of
reflecting on how a better choice could have been made.
The teacher needs to model how to graciously accept
imperfection. The students need to see various methods
for correcting mistakes, such as apologizing, doing the
extra work to redo an activity, and making a plan not
to make the same mistakes in the future. A great con-
tent area to demonstrate these skills is writing. Using
samples of your own writing, model the thinking process
behind improving writing when you know a mistake has
been made or when your best work is not represented in
the finished product.

Spend a Lot of Time Among Your Students
Not only does a teacher’s desk provide a barrier between
students and the teacher, it can send the message that
the teacher does not take an active interest in how stu-
dents are processing the learning of content if the teacher
is constantly seated at his/her desk during all instruc-
tional time. The most effective teachers spend a lot of
time among the students while learning is taking place.
While presenting information, the teacher can walk
around to check that students are taking the right notes
and recording the most important things. During inde-
pendent work, the teacher monitors progress. During
group activities, the teacher monitors tasks. The teacher
is actively encouraging, directing, and adjusting the les-
son according to how the students are working. In these
efforts, the teacher is actively pursuing peaceful manage-
ment and flow through activities in the classroom.

47


Work to Get Buy-In From the Students
Teachers are constantly pressured to meet the ris-
ing demands of content standards and pacing charts.
Therefore, they are often tempted to rush through their
content in the attempt to reach all of the goals. When
students are confused or do not understand, the teacher
may not even be aware of it until final assessments are
made. This is frustrating for students and for teach-
ers. The frustration can lead to behavioral problems.
Therefore, a teacher’s lessons will run more smoothly if
he/she can find ways to get students to connect with the
lesson from the beginning. For this reason, the teacher
needs to work to get buy-in from them.

“Students engage in learning when they recognize a con-
nection between what they know and the learning experi-
ence” (Diaz-Rico Weed, 2002, p. 124). At the beginning
of each lesson, the teacher will need to assess a student’s
prior knowledge, or what he/she already knows about
the coming subject. This not only guides the teacher’s
instruction, but it also facilitates the students accessing
their own knowledge. The teacher then provides any
background knowledge needed. When there is very little
prior knowledge, the teacher uses scaffolding techniques
to help students build schemas, “that is, construct a
framework of concepts that show the relationships of old
and new learning and how they are connected” (Diaz-
Rico Weed, 2002, p. 125). This whole process allows
students to connect what they already know with what
they are going to learn for true learning associations.
During lessons, teachers can preplan opportunities to
give the students as much choice as possible. When
they are finished with a task, the teacher can provide
avenues to plan what they will work on next. When pos-
sible, the teacher can put a list of activities on the board
so that the students know what’s expected for the day.

48

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